Short Takes

Matthew Spinozi might be somewhat of a spectacle on the corner of 31st and 10th. The contrast of his shoulder-length, chestnut curls against his pressed white linen suit and leather loafers, stands out against the clean-cut commuters gathered just a few blocks away at the bustling Penn Station.

Dr. Sarit Buzaglo’s career trajectory from high school dropout to computer science postdoc is an Israeli success story she attributes directly to ISEF, the foundation dedicated to giving disadvantaged Israeli youth an opportunity to succeed.

‘Is there a liberal in the room?” One couldn’t help but wonder this while looking around the large ballroom of the Marriott Hotel in Midtown last Thursday evening. It was filled with about 1,000 attendees of what could have been called “The Shmuley Boteach Show.” They were loudly cheering a succession of major conservative political figures outdoing each other in their support for Israel, condemnation of President Obama’s foreign policy, and giving voice to the fears about anti-Semitism at home and abroad.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas could negotiate a peace treaty with Israel if he wanted to, according to Dore Gold, who was appointed last week by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be director-general of Israel’s Foreign Ministry.

Taking advantage of demographic changes in heavily Orthodox Crown Heights, Repair the World, a national Jewish service nonprofit focused on food justice and education, announced last week that it is opening a new community center in the neighborhood to serve as a hub for volunteering and community...